Daigoji
Though hidden, Daigoji is no secret to those who wish to see the spectacles of Kyoto. In a quiet community in eastern Kyoto, Daigoji puts on some of the most spectacular natural shows in Japan with cherry blossoms in Spring and the changing of leaves in Autumn. Each year thousands of spectators and hungry photographers descend on the temple to get that perfect photo, and as one of those people, I can say with certainty that the temple does all the work. The temple was first established in the 9th century at a location higher in the hills above the current complex as a monastery for study. With large patronage from multiple emperors over its early years, the complex expanded and became more lavish to look more like what it is today. As a temple of the Shingon sect, its primary triad is of Yakushi, the Buddha of Medicine and Healing.
For the casual: 10. For the educated: 10.
Let me start by saying that this temple deserves a TOURIST TRAP warning depending on the time of the year. Sometimes the quest for that perfect photo draws a lot of competition to get the best shot. I recommend a calm state of mind and a great deal of patience. And some good luck ^-^.
Like any good complex, Daigoji is broken up into several sections. The first I wish to write about is the Main Drawing Room (Omote Shoin). The building is classic aristocratic architecture from the Heian Period which looks out on a lovely garden. Many of the sliding doors and carvings within the building are designated as National Treasures and photos are not allowed. Many of the screens are replaced on a regular basis to match the seasonal themes, but all in all the screens are up fairly often and depict anything from birds and trees to flowers and clouds made of flakes of silver and gold , reflective minerals, and colorful paints.
The next section I wish to discuss is the on site museum called the Reihokan. Many major temples in Japan are filled with treasures that they have collected over the centuries. Storage needs, damage to housing structures, and preservation concerns can cause some of the larger temples to establish their own museum of treasures so that they can better manage and share the collection. In this case, the Reihokan is home to several thousand National Treasures, Important Cultural Artifacts, and other designations. Most of the items are small like carvings and scrolls, but others are large wood carvings, old sections of the temple which were removed for restoration, and larger hanging scrolls. The Reihokan has some small intimate rooms to enjoy some of its smaller pieces and a large main section for its main pieces. Though not always open to the public, please take some time to visit if it is open.
The last part of the complex is essentially the main part of the complex. In this section are the main halls, specialty halls, and a five-story pagoda. You can also describe this part of the temple as the photography heaven. The trees are lush, the space is wide, and the opportunities to take some really fun photos are plenty. There are a few places that stand out more than others for photo possibilities. The first is the main hall with the Yakushi triad. It’s not a super fancy hall, but the spacing of the statues and the symmetry of the building make for some fun experiments. The Five-Story Pagoda is another one because as the trees change through the year guests can have ever changing views of the building. Another favorite for me was the Fudo Hall, dedicated to Fudo Myo’o. Like the main hall there’s a fun sense of symmetry to the space but a large stone statue of Fudo Myo’o in front draws a lot of cool energy to the area. The most famous structure is almost at the very back of the complex and it’s a small building in a lake to Benzaiten, one of the Seven Gods of Fortune. The appeal is not for the building itself, but instead the trees around it which turn bright and brilliant red. This corner of the temple brings people from around the world to take those lucky photos of the seasonal colors. In this area in particular I recommend a heavy dosage of patience as there will typically be people in your shot, and a little good will doesn’t hurt.
It’s important to note that there is one more section to this complex and that is the natural wood monastery in the mountains that served as the original temple. This area of the temple however, is no longer available to visit because of severe damage received from Typhoon Jebi in September of 2018. There is no known timeline of when the buildings will reopen, but hopefully it won’t be too long. Supposedly on a clear day you can see Osaka from there.
